David Lammy MP: speeches

Speeches

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  Yes, and yes.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I reassure my hon. Friend that our universities were able to contribute to our China audit.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I recognise the sensitivity and the import of what the hon. Lady says. That is central to the considerations and discussions that are under way within Government as we look at these issues and balance them against our national security.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  The hon. and learned Gentleman says that he would have liked to hear more and the statement was opaque, but the other side of that coin is that it might be reassuring that the Government are not making all of our intelligence capability and understanding available to China and the outside world. He will recognise that the biggest academic partner in that research is the United States, and given the way the economy of China has grown, certainly over my two decades in Parliament, it is not surprising that it has emerged as our second largest. I want to reassure him that, of course, the agencies are able to offer full advice to universities and examine sensitivities, and we are very aware of the threats he has conveyed to the House.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I will take no lectures from the hon. Gentleman, whose advice to former Prime Minister May led to the possibility of nuclear information being revealed. He should be embarrassed, and I am surprised he came to this statement this afternoon.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  Through the National Security and Investment Act 2021, we have a robust framework to make individual decisions such as the one on Mingyang. As the hon. Lady knows, energy is one of 17 priority sectors under the NSIA in which Government can block any potential acquisitions on security grounds, and that remains under consideration.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the work that my hon. Friend does in this area, but I must maintain that there has not been that access under any Government, other than for those on the Intelligence and Security Committee, who have access to high-classification documents, and for Privy Counsellors, who have access to conversations with the Government and officials that they pledge to keep secret. The Government cannot abandon those principles, which have consistently served us well for many years under many Governments.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  Prime Minister Johnson’s record on China is shocking. It led to the grave embarrassment of having to do a U-turn on Huawei, which would have been able to get into the most delicate of our telecommunications infrastructure. It is because of that that we undertook, while in opposition, to do a full audit. That audit is constantly ongoing, but I hope that my hon. Friend will see its results reflected in the industrial strategy, the national security strategy and, of course, the SDR, which was published recently.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend’s question goes to the heart of capabilities. We must have more diplomats with a fine understanding of China and more Mandarin speakers, and we are doing that. Sadly, the last Government cut the number of diplomats with that capability and understanding. We need to invest in the Great Britain-China Centre so that understanding of the culture is across our country, and she is absolutely right on that point.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the powers to counter foreign interference and transnational repression under the National Security Act.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that. May I also name-check the work of my hon. Friend the Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Rachel Blake) on this issue? The issue is under consideration, and we have been discussing with communities these very important pension issues.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman has put his views on the record, and I will consult my officials about what he has revealed.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  Let me express my respect for the right hon. Gentleman’s expertise on the China threat. I acknowledge that he is subject to sanctions; I have consistently raised that point with China, noting that it recently lifted sanctions against Members of the European Parliament. I pressed it recently to do the same for Members here. Let me assure him that there are no grubby deals on any issues, and certainly not on the embassy; I reject any suggestion to the contrary. He describes the context on China. I refer him to page 28 of the strategic defence review, which summarises the challenge better than he did. It states that China is “a sophisticated and persistent challenge. China is increasingly leveraging its economic, technological, and military capabilities, seeking to establish dominance in the Indo-Pacific, erode US influence, and put pressure on the rules-based international order.” We agree.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  The Minister for the Indo-Pacific has met some of my hon. Friend’s constituents on this issue. Because of the concerns he rightly raises, I hope he will welcome the training for our police right across the nation on these issues.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  It is a good question, and I refer my hon. Friend to the industrial strategy and the further work that we have to do on supply chains. From day one, this Government have taken a big interest in global supply chains in critical minerals. Together with many partners across the world, we are working with the Global Clean Power Alliance to create new supply chains, in order to deal with the issues that she has raised.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member is absolutely right that it is a fine balance. We need to invest more in our police capability, and that is an outcome of this audit. We need to continue to work with our universities, so that they understand the threats in this area, as well as the opportunities.

• 24 Jun 2025 · China Audit · Hansard source

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  That issue is still subject to consultation and will be announced by the Home Secretary in the usual way.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I have spoken to Secretary of State Rubio every single week that I have been in office. The Prime Minister and the President of the United States have the best of relationships. That is a signal of how well our special relationship is working.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  It was important to be alongside Secretary of State Rubio last week in DC. We continue to work closely with President Trump, and the Prime Minister spoke to him just two days ago. The initial assessments of those attacks in Iran are coming in, and we will assess that in due course.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for reminding us of the horrendous human rights record of this regime, a regime that is the worst sponsor of state terrorism in the world.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  As the right hon. Gentleman probably knows, I was in Pakistan recently, and we discussed a range of human rights issues.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I was very pleased to see that that flight came into Birmingham. We will do all we can to work with the Israeli Government to open airspace and to continue flights. We have a ceasefire. I have seen, of course, that that ceasefire has been violated, and I urge all partners to keep to that ceasefire so that airspace can open up and commercial flights can resume.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Yes, I do.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Just as the hon. Gentleman would not expect members of Congress or the Senate to comment on domestic issues in our country, I am not going to stray into domestic issues in the US. It remains the closest of allies.

• 24 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I want to reassure my hon. Friend that we have banned the sale of arms that could be used in Gaza, and we liaise with the French and the Saudi Arabians, despite the suspension of their conference. I think the intention is to resume in September.